"In Heaven There Is No Beer" is a polka song about the existential pleasures of beer drinking. The title of the song states a reason for drinking beer while you are still alive. The song in German is "Im Himmel gibt's kein Bier", in Spanish, "En El Cielo No Hay Cerveza".[1] It was originally composed as a movie score for the film Die Fischerin vom Bodensee, 1956, by Ernst Neubach and Ralph Maria Siegel.[2] The English lyrics are credited to Art Walunas.
| "Im Himmel gibt's kein Bier" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| Language | German |
| English title | "In Heaven There Is No Beer" |
| Published | 1956 |
| Genre | Drinking song |
| Composer(s) | Ralph Maria Siegel |
| Lyricist(s) | Ernst Neubach |
Atongo Zimba recorded a version[3] as well as Clean Living.[4] The song was the inspiration for the title of the 1984 film and 1985 Sundance Film Festival winner, In Heaven There Is No Beer?,[5] which also featured the song "Who Stole the Kishka?".[6]
A version of the song by the Amherst, Massachusetts, band Clean Living became a hit in 1972 (US Billboard #49, Cash Box #34;[7] Canada #51).[8][9]
The song first appeared at the University of Iowa in the 1960’s and has been a tradition ever since. Known in Iowa City as the “Hawkeye Victory Polka”, the Hawkeye Marching Band plays this tune at sporting events following a Hawkeye win.
The song is also used by the University of Wyoming band, playing during breaks in sporting events known as "The Beer Song."
References
edit- ^ "En El Cielo No Hay Cerveza (lyrics in Spanish and Dutch)". Archived from the original on 18 June 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
- ^ Siegel, Ralph Maria; Neubach, Ernst (1956). Im Himmel gibt's kein Bier: Marschfox. Aus dem Neubach-Film: Die Fischerin vom Bodensee [In Heaven There is No Beer] (musical score) (in German). Zürich: Helbling. OCLC 81325100.
- ^ "Music in Ghana- Atongo Zimba". Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
- ^ Dr. Demento (1995). Dr. Demento 25th anniversary collection more of the greatest novelty records of all time (sound recording). Santa Monica, California: Rhino. OCLC 33275688.
- ^ Maslin, Janet (May 23, 1984). "Documentaries on Polka and Bluegrass". New York Times. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
- ^ "In Heaven There Is No Beer? (1984)" Archived 2017-02-11 at the Wayback Machine, IMDb.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, December 23, 1972". Archived from the original on February 2, 2015. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
- ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada" (PDF). Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1972-12-16. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-06-18. Retrieved 2022-12-06.